Exploring Decision Maker Attitudes Towards Urban Development using Spatial Multi Criteria Decision Analysis.

Abstract

The use of geographic information systems and MCDA techniques in identifying the most suitable areas for a particular use is a common method utilised within many planning and environmental topic areas. However despite this usage, the planning industry is as yet to realise the potential of combining the two methods in order to develop a more robust methodology aiding better decision making. This paper implements the fuzzy spatial decision model Analytical Hierarchy Process - Ordered Weighted Averaging (AHP-OWA) based upon robust data sources in order to investigate if the method is an effective substitute to current commercial additive rating schemes. The results suggest that the implementation of the AHP-OWA method allows for a more flexible approach in modelling different decision attitudes (strategies) whilst providing insight into the factors which are influencing each attitude, a significant advantage to the decision maker and/or planning inspectorate. Additionally, the method can be seen as a significant improvement on current methods as it does not remove the decision maker from the process but includes them in a far more effective manner